Prep baseball: Things looking up for Falcons

FOLEY - On the varsity since eighth grade, Mitch Keeler remembers how it used to be at Foley High School baseball games.

"We didn't have dugouts or scoreboards," Keeler said. "And you were lucky if your parents would be in the stands."

Things clearly have changed for the better.

Keeler helped Foley beat Holdingford 4-1 Friday at Foley High School.

The senior right-hander struck out seven, walked none and allowed one run over 61/3innings to help the Falcons improve to 11-3.

"It's good for this town to finally have a baseball team again with people following us," Keeler said.

Senior catcher Tyler Midas, on the varsity since ninth grade, supplied a two-run homer for Foley, which is heading toward a top-two seed in East Sub-Section 6-2A.

"We knew if we stuck with it, we could have a solid year," Midas said. "This class, we've worked hard since we were freshmen and the good work is paying off."

Foley's entrance into being a team to watch is a long-time coming for head coach Mike Beier, who is in his 10th year in the program.

He has seen an expanded program from the youngest levels of youth baseball, to travel teams and VFW and American Legion clubs, none of which existed to the extent that they do now. Money has been raised for dugouts and a scoreboard and more money is on the way for further improvements.

There are signs lining the outfield fence with sponsors. There are 32 seventh-graders out for baseball. The junior varsity is 9-2, the first time Beier remembers it having a winning record.

"In the past, I would steal all their players," he said.

This season's squad is second to St. Cloud Cathedral in the Granite Ridge Conference and the sub-section. Foley plays the Crusaders, ranked second in the state in Class 2A, at 7 p.m. Monday at the Municipal Athletic Complex.

"That's an important game," Midas said.

Foley plays Tuesday at Zimmerman, then has a doubleheader Thursday at Cold Spring against Rocori. If the current seeds held, Foley and Rocori would meet in the first round of the playoffs.

On a cool, breezy Friday, the Falcons rallied from an early 1-0 deficit against the Huskers (9-6), another sub-section team fighting for a top-five seed.

Midas made it 2-1 Foley with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third. It came after he struck out to lead off the first.

"I proved to myself a little more that you can't hit home runs by trying to hit home runs," Midas said. "In my first at-bat, I was trying and I struck out. In my second at-bat, I wasn't trying but did."

Midas is part of the top of a batting order that is hitting well. Keeler bats second and center fielder Joe Ziwicki hits third. All three are hitting .400 or better. Shortstop Cameron Jurek bats fourth. Batting fifth is ninth-grader Noah Winkelman, who has a .333 batting average.

On the mound, Keeler is considered Foley's No. 3 starter, though his stats sparkle. After Friday, he has struck out 25 and walked one, though he hit three batters Friday, including Holdingford'sder Mitch Messman twice.

"A lot of the credit for how we are doing goes to Mr. Beier," Keeler said. "Before, we had people playing baseball.

"Now, we actually have baseball players who love the game. They're not just out for it."

Holdingford left 11 runners on base, but overall played well. Taylor Nitz started and pitched well. The junior right-hander had one varsity inning before Friday, which was the Huskers' sixth game this week.

"That's the best I've seen him throw in a long time," Holdingford head coach Jason Bruns said. "I told him after the game, we've found another pitcher now, so that's good."